


Heroes

by CookieDoughMe



Category: Haven (TV)
Genre: Gen, LLF Comment Project
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-27 21:10:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15033395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CookieDoughMe/pseuds/CookieDoughMe
Summary: Imagine a series finale in which no one leaves town, dies, or loses their memory. By the skin of their teeth, Audrey, Nathan, Dwight, and Duke are able to bring about a permanent end to the Troubles. What happens next? (We're not skipping forward a month here, I mean, what happens later that day?)





	Heroes

Duke wanted to say that it had been a long day, but that was so comically understated it passed through funny and into ridiculous. He stared out the window as Nathan drove them back to the school where most of the town's population was probably wondering what was going on. Or maybe they knew; they would have seen the aether streaming out of any Troubled person, gathering in the sky like a surreal swarm of creatures, and streaming over Haven towards the old armoury. They might even have seen something of the flash of light when the old stone building disappeared, taking Croatoan away from them at last.

In any case there would be time to explain any of the missing details, but the first priority at the moment was checking in on the situation, getting help for anyone injured, checking everyone had a place to sleep. A lot of people had lost their homes in the various disasters that had led up to the end of the Troubles and Duke knew without even thinking about it that there would still be people sleeping in the school for a while yet. With the Gull smashed and the Rouge at the bottom of the harbour, he might even be one of them.

Despite being full of people, the bronco was quiet; Nathan, Audrey and Dwight each lost in their own thoughts and all exhausted from the weeks and months (and years) of chaos the town had put them through. Duke wondered if this place would ever be the same again. People across town would be traumatised, wary of each other, feeling guilty about the effects their Troubles had caused, inadequate about their inability to protect their loved ones from these impossible disasters. 

At its best, Haven had the potential to be a tight knit loving community, but just at the moment (he grimaced as they passed the sight of a crater where a row of houses should have been), Haven was not at its best. The population had been through a lot, and the effects of that would not disappear overnight. Would the people blame Mara (Audrey) and the Crockers (him) for that history? Would they blame Haven PD (Nathan and Dwight) for not dealing with it more quickly or protecting them more thoroughly?

Duke sunk a little in his seat, wary of the reception they might get when they arrived at the school, or the situation they might find themselves faced with if traumatised people decided to take their frustrations out on each other.

Nathan parked up on the edge of the school grounds but for a moment none of them made any effort to move. The ground beneath them stood a little higher than that around it and they had a good view of the crowd of people that filled the playing fields. It looked fairly calm at least, that was something. There were some animated conversations going on, but nothing that looked like it was about to switch gears into violence.

Eventually, the four of them climbed stiffly out of the truck. With the adrenaline starting to fade, they were all beginning to feel the effects of the tiredness, the stress and all the various little injuries they had collected. They stood together by the hood of the truck as Nathan told them he wanted to find Gloria and Vickie, and Audrey said she was going to see if the phone lines were working and whether they could make contact with the outside world now that the shroud around the town was gone.

As they finished speaking they became aware that the sound of the many conversations coming from the crowd around them was fading. They turned towards the group of people that must represent a large proportion of the town's remaining population, and watched as, one by one, they stopped in their own conversations and turned to stare up at the four recent arrivals on the higher ground above them.

Duke held his breath, feeling that something was about to happen, but not being able to tell what. He could tell that Nathan beside him was wary too; uncertain and self conscious. It seemed to Duke that if he'd been less tired, Nathan might have spoken, but as it was, he just ran his hands through his hair and reached for Audrey beside him, taking her hand without looking.

For a moment, nothing happened, everything was still. Duke flicked a glance towards Dwight and met his eyes, seeing the same uncertainty there that he felt.

And then, the moment broke. Someone in the crowd near them brought their hands together in a clap. Just one at first, quiet, hesitant. Then they did it again, and again, and as they found their rhythm of applause others joined in. The sound of the applause rippled through the crowd the way the stillness had done. And then it was followed by cheering.

In amongst the increasingly enthusiastic celebrations, there came the occasional shout.

“Well done!”  
“Thank you!”

Some of the nearest people began to step gradually forward, reaching out their hands to shake Nathan's and Audrey’s who were stood nearest them. Duke took a step backwards; he would leave the police officers to the gratitude of the people they had sworn to serve. He could slip away while their attention was diverted and see if he could find his truck. He had an overnight bag in there at least.

“The four heroes of Haven!” someone shouted and this garnered perhaps the largest cheer of all, promoting a new wave of enthusiasm and louder applause rippled through the crowd again. And then the crowd shifted towards him as well, pressing forward along the line he had been about to take as he left. People with faces and names he knew and those he didn't, moved towards him slowly enough not to be threatening, steady enough to be purposeful. 

One man who's name he thought might be Joe held out a hand towards him. “Thank you.”

Unsure how else to respond, Duke returned the hand shake and then the people either side of Joe reached out their hands towards him too. Duke turned his head for a glance towards Audrey, Nathan and Dwight, who seemed to be only slightly less confused by the attention than he was.

“Thank you,” someone else told him. “Heroes all of you; Haven will never forget what you have done for this town.”

_ How do they even know?  _ wondered Duke, but then he saw the crowd part to make way for someone too short to see until they got closer. Eventually she reached them and then somehow it all made sense; it was Gloria. Of course it was.

“Hey kiddo,” she said to him and then looked round at all the others. “We're just getting some food together in the canteen. You hungry?”

Hungry? Yes indeed. Hungry and tired enough in fact that all they could do was follow as Gloria led the way. The crowd parted to let them go, calls of “Heroes,” and “Thank you,” following them as they went.

**Author's Note:**

> This story is part of the LLF Comment Project, which was created with the aim of improving communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates all forms of positive feedback (no matter how long ago this fic was posted), including:
> 
>   * Short comments
>   * Long comments
>   * Incoherent keyboard-smash comments as a sign of enthusiasm
>   * “<3” as extra kudos
>   * Questions
>   * Anything you'd like to see more of (including requests for recommendations of similar works)
>   * Reader-reader interaction
> 

> 
> The LLF Project also has a Comment Builder here. You do not need an account to comment.
> 
> This author typically replies to comments, however if for any reason you would rather not receive a reply, just include #whisper in your comment and I'll leave you be:)
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> Or, come chat on tumblr (cookiedoughmeagain) or Twitter (CookieDoughYou) I'm always happy to hear from Haven fans:)


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